A heart felt story of acceptance and family in a world where being different shouldn't be judged but celebrated.Yet another excellent performance by Jackie Weaver who threads her life of regret for the relationship lost with her son in this diva musical world where more lives in layers the closer you look.
48 Reviews
A wonderfully heartfelt albeit often simplistic drama
themadmovieman16 July 2020
Although it's not the most moving film you'll ever see, Stage Mother is a wonderfully heartfelt story about the importance of family, in whatever guise it may be. With elegant music, pleasant performances and good humour, it's a movie that really made me smile.
The best place to start with Stage Mother has to be its screenplay. As a pure drama, the film may lack real, challenging depth, but its genuine and wholly heartfelt approach to storytelling makes it an utter joy to watch.
A touching tale of a woman finding new purpose in life as she changes her opinions on her estranged son's lifestyle, the film really blossoms as we see her form an intimate bond with the performers of a struggling but tight-knit drag club.
As a movie that aims to challenge negative perceptions of LGBT lifestyles, Stage Mother isn't the most eye-opening film, as the initially 'conservative' mother takes to her new surroundings awfully quickly, as do many of the other characters who are meant to embody intolerance.
What's more, the majority of the characters are a little one-dimensional, with Jacki Weaver's character in particular coming across as some sort of infallible saint, without the real dramatic conflict that could have made her so much more interesting.
That's a similar case with the supporting cast, though it never undermines the movie's immense heart, bolstered all the more by the cast's wonderful, family-like chemistry on screen.
In that, Stage Mother has all the ingredients of a movie to really make you smile. Sure, it may not be the most cerebral story, but it is an undeniably joyful and heartfelt tale that's filled with elegance and passion throughout.
The movie delights with a wonderful soundtrack the blends jukebox hits with original songs, and although the story does take a little too long to properly wind down in the final act, it all comes to a close with a soaring musical finale.
Overall, I really liked Stage Mother. As I've said, it's far from the most thematically challenging movie ever made, but it is surely one of the most heartfelt and joyful films I've seen in quite a while.
The best place to start with Stage Mother has to be its screenplay. As a pure drama, the film may lack real, challenging depth, but its genuine and wholly heartfelt approach to storytelling makes it an utter joy to watch.
A touching tale of a woman finding new purpose in life as she changes her opinions on her estranged son's lifestyle, the film really blossoms as we see her form an intimate bond with the performers of a struggling but tight-knit drag club.
As a movie that aims to challenge negative perceptions of LGBT lifestyles, Stage Mother isn't the most eye-opening film, as the initially 'conservative' mother takes to her new surroundings awfully quickly, as do many of the other characters who are meant to embody intolerance.
What's more, the majority of the characters are a little one-dimensional, with Jacki Weaver's character in particular coming across as some sort of infallible saint, without the real dramatic conflict that could have made her so much more interesting.
That's a similar case with the supporting cast, though it never undermines the movie's immense heart, bolstered all the more by the cast's wonderful, family-like chemistry on screen.
In that, Stage Mother has all the ingredients of a movie to really make you smile. Sure, it may not be the most cerebral story, but it is an undeniably joyful and heartfelt tale that's filled with elegance and passion throughout.
The movie delights with a wonderful soundtrack the blends jukebox hits with original songs, and although the story does take a little too long to properly wind down in the final act, it all comes to a close with a soaring musical finale.
Overall, I really liked Stage Mother. As I've said, it's far from the most thematically challenging movie ever made, but it is surely one of the most heartfelt and joyful films I've seen in quite a while.
Must Watch!
ruadhcaileag18 January 2021
A heartwarming story with friendship, love, truth, sadness, heartbreak, finding yourself. A reminder not understanding someone or how they choose to live their life, shouldn't keep you from those you love. Learn and grow.
Filmed in beautiful Halifax, NS, Canada.
Entertaining fun with impressive cast
tm-sheehan14 October 2020
My Review - Stage Mother
My Rating 6.5
It's great to review a new movie and to see Jackie Weaver in a starring role what an accomplished actress she is. Cast as Maybeline Metcalf a conservative church choir director who inherits her late son Rickey's San Francisco drag club. Maybeline travels to San Francisco for her son's funeral against her homophobic husbands wishes and picks up the threads of Ricky's last days including meeting his partner Nathan. Stage Mother is very entertaining what it lacks in script it makes up with some very good performances. I especially liked Lucy Liu as Sienna Rickie's best friend who Maybeline moves in for her stay and I also liked Adrian Grenier as Nathan who at first is hostile to Ricky'S mother accusing her of abandoning and rejecting her son then as a mutual understanding occurs between them he realised that Mother like Son is a good force to be reckoned with. This film directed by Thom Fitzgerald has had some undeserving negative reviews. It's well worth a look and has a good positive message to tell . It's not Pricilla Queen of the Desert and it doesn't try to be . The Drag Club scenes are very good and the scenes where Maybeline works her magic to coach the Queens to sing and make the Ricky'S Club profitable again are the best , it's just a pity that there wasn't more substance in the script. Jackie Weaver's final scene singing in her own voice was impressive.
It's great to review a new movie and to see Jackie Weaver in a starring role what an accomplished actress she is. Cast as Maybeline Metcalf a conservative church choir director who inherits her late son Rickey's San Francisco drag club. Maybeline travels to San Francisco for her son's funeral against her homophobic husbands wishes and picks up the threads of Ricky's last days including meeting his partner Nathan. Stage Mother is very entertaining what it lacks in script it makes up with some very good performances. I especially liked Lucy Liu as Sienna Rickie's best friend who Maybeline moves in for her stay and I also liked Adrian Grenier as Nathan who at first is hostile to Ricky'S mother accusing her of abandoning and rejecting her son then as a mutual understanding occurs between them he realised that Mother like Son is a good force to be reckoned with. This film directed by Thom Fitzgerald has had some undeserving negative reviews. It's well worth a look and has a good positive message to tell . It's not Pricilla Queen of the Desert and it doesn't try to be . The Drag Club scenes are very good and the scenes where Maybeline works her magic to coach the Queens to sing and make the Ricky'S Club profitable again are the best , it's just a pity that there wasn't more substance in the script. Jackie Weaver's final scene singing in her own voice was impressive.
A hidden gem.
adamjohns-4257514 August 2022
Stage Mother (2020) -
This film had a story that we have definitely seen before, but that doesn't mean that it's not any good or worth telling again. It's actually very sweet, without going over the top and in that way it's also very simple.
When Texan Maybeline went to honour her son at his funeral after a long period of absence from his life, it was tough for everybody to get along and when it turned out that she had inherited his drag bar, things only got tougher, before they got better. So it's a story of coming to terms with things, finding a place in life and learning how to be a better member of society, whilst also putting on a good show.
Don't expect a big budget production. It's not exactly an A list film, but those that appear were generally very good, although a couple of them were clearly chosen purely for their looks alone. Bear was adorable, but not the best actor on the screen, whilst the gorgeous Lucy Liu played a very different character to what I've seen from her before and I really liked it. She instantly added something to the film from the moment she appeared.
Although it was such a simple tale, it was also very charming too and there was something kind of euphoric about it at times. I saw the effects that both worlds had on each other and it mostly resulted in positivity, leaving me with a warm and pleasant feeling inside.
It would be easy to see it as a blend of 'To Wong Foo, Thanks For Eveything, Julie Newmar (1995), and 'The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert' (1994), because of the themes that it covered alongside the obvious and it was always going to be compared to them as a film about drag queens anyway.
While this one is not going to sit quite so high up on my list of films to watch as those two, it will still get a good score, mostly for the fact that it was so easy to watch and enjoy. Sometimes it's nice to have the emotions toned down a little bit, as they are here.
740.09/1000.
This film had a story that we have definitely seen before, but that doesn't mean that it's not any good or worth telling again. It's actually very sweet, without going over the top and in that way it's also very simple.
When Texan Maybeline went to honour her son at his funeral after a long period of absence from his life, it was tough for everybody to get along and when it turned out that she had inherited his drag bar, things only got tougher, before they got better. So it's a story of coming to terms with things, finding a place in life and learning how to be a better member of society, whilst also putting on a good show.
Don't expect a big budget production. It's not exactly an A list film, but those that appear were generally very good, although a couple of them were clearly chosen purely for their looks alone. Bear was adorable, but not the best actor on the screen, whilst the gorgeous Lucy Liu played a very different character to what I've seen from her before and I really liked it. She instantly added something to the film from the moment she appeared.
Although it was such a simple tale, it was also very charming too and there was something kind of euphoric about it at times. I saw the effects that both worlds had on each other and it mostly resulted in positivity, leaving me with a warm and pleasant feeling inside.
It would be easy to see it as a blend of 'To Wong Foo, Thanks For Eveything, Julie Newmar (1995), and 'The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert' (1994), because of the themes that it covered alongside the obvious and it was always going to be compared to them as a film about drag queens anyway.
While this one is not going to sit quite so high up on my list of films to watch as those two, it will still get a good score, mostly for the fact that it was so easy to watch and enjoy. Sometimes it's nice to have the emotions toned down a little bit, as they are here.
740.09/1000.
More people should watch this!
incubus-09149 June 2021
This is my kind of movie; drag culture, good-hearted people, characters trying to be the best of themselves and lots of sparkles!!
Yes, the story might be a little simplistic and predictable, but so what? I didn't expect any twists from this type of film. What I expect is a bit corny, but touching story that makes me smile and makes me feel good afterwards. And this movie gave me THAT!
Jackie Weaver is brilliant as a Texan lady who has somewhat a timid exterior, yet has got balls when she needs them and I loved that performance. The tone of her voice when she is holding a gun is just fantastic. I believe women in southern states have strong cores like her character does. The conservative part, though, wasn't depicted very well, it just showed that she was Christian and sort of a leader of a choir in her church. Nonetheless, I did get that she loved her son so so so much. It ends up leading her to open up her heart to a new world and touch many people's hearts as well. Who wouldn't love that story!? In reality, people don't change so easily in a good way, but I do hope that all the close-minded people would change and everyone gets along. So isn't it nice to put that hope into a work and make a movie like this?
I also wish this film would help people who have lost in touch with their families get an idea to call them up before it becomes too late.
Don't overthink, just watch. You'll love this if you like a funny heartwarming movie.
Oh, I didn't recognize her at first with the trashy blonde look. I personally think Lucy Liu did a good job as a supporting role.
Yes, the story might be a little simplistic and predictable, but so what? I didn't expect any twists from this type of film. What I expect is a bit corny, but touching story that makes me smile and makes me feel good afterwards. And this movie gave me THAT!
Jackie Weaver is brilliant as a Texan lady who has somewhat a timid exterior, yet has got balls when she needs them and I loved that performance. The tone of her voice when she is holding a gun is just fantastic. I believe women in southern states have strong cores like her character does. The conservative part, though, wasn't depicted very well, it just showed that she was Christian and sort of a leader of a choir in her church. Nonetheless, I did get that she loved her son so so so much. It ends up leading her to open up her heart to a new world and touch many people's hearts as well. Who wouldn't love that story!? In reality, people don't change so easily in a good way, but I do hope that all the close-minded people would change and everyone gets along. So isn't it nice to put that hope into a work and make a movie like this?
I also wish this film would help people who have lost in touch with their families get an idea to call them up before it becomes too late.
Don't overthink, just watch. You'll love this if you like a funny heartwarming movie.
Oh, I didn't recognize her at first with the trashy blonde look. I personally think Lucy Liu did a good job as a supporting role.
Double standing ovation at Palm Springs premiere!
markjons-721-5500996 January 2020
Saw the world premiere of this film at the Palm Springs International Film Fest this week and met the cast, director and writer. Fantastic movie with some of the funniest one liners I've ever heard. Audience gave the cast two standing ovations. All showings are sold out. However they do not have a distributor yet! We need to get this movie into theaters so please search for it so the data miners see the interest. This is a very relatable story of parents who reject their gay son and the lengths his mother goes to after he dies to make amends and understand him better. Jacki Weaver delivers a one liner like no one I've seen. It's poignant, funny, eccentric and uplifting.
Surprisingly touching
movieswithgreg10 November 2021
I didn't expect this to work as well as it did. I'm not the biggest fan of Grenier nor Weaver, though I have a lot of respect for Weaver's work. And I'm not the drag scene's biggest fan, either. It's just....too much.
But beyond the somewhat forced folksiness in many of Weaver's dialogue lines, this movie persists with a certain level of honesty about trying to survive in one of the world's most expensive cities, while being a person struggling on the margins. Not only the financial margins, but the social, emotional and psychological margins as well.
Unfairly, Grenier's character is drawn as noticeably trivial and shallow. He's not given the best dialogue to work with, and his scenes just seem so...superfluous to the story. It's not his fault.
In contrast, Lucy Liu's character.as the disheveled urban adventureress is a fresh look at Liu that I don't think I've seen before. She executes it well.
But beyond the somewhat forced folksiness in many of Weaver's dialogue lines, this movie persists with a certain level of honesty about trying to survive in one of the world's most expensive cities, while being a person struggling on the margins. Not only the financial margins, but the social, emotional and psychological margins as well.
Unfairly, Grenier's character is drawn as noticeably trivial and shallow. He's not given the best dialogue to work with, and his scenes just seem so...superfluous to the story. It's not his fault.
In contrast, Lucy Liu's character.as the disheveled urban adventureress is a fresh look at Liu that I don't think I've seen before. She executes it well.
Missed opportunity.
casinclair23 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
What should have been a glorious, camp, gag fest, and the story of a coming to her senses of a homophobic mother, was tired, contrived and devoid of humour. Sorry.
It lacked any depth, evidenced by the ludicrous change of heart of her deeply resentful business partner. The not-quite-an-affair with the hotel concierge was just weird.
Lovely shots of SF, though.
It lacked any depth, evidenced by the ludicrous change of heart of her deeply resentful business partner. The not-quite-an-affair with the hotel concierge was just weird.
Lovely shots of SF, though.
Let's get this out there!
rick-5512911 January 2020
Had the pleasure of seeing this gem at the PSIFF with many of the cast. It was a joy. Laugh out loud funny, touching and heartfelt without hitting the too sweet button. The cast were super together, great chemistry between all. It was fun to see Lucy Lu in this light hearted role. But the star was Jackie Weaver. The writing was sharp and her delivery flawless. We are going back again to memorize some of the dialog. There are comments that are priceless and wisdom we can all use. There are no car chases, gun battles or other cheap tricks. This movie has heart and a message.
Fun, sweet & a pure joy to experience
tacomamma197320 February 2021
Boring
thomasbgleeson20 December 2020
a fun and heart warming film
LetsReviewThat2614 July 2022
This was a beautifully made movie. With an equal mix of fun and sad parts. Jackie weaver plays the mother of a recently passed drag bar owner, who learns she now owns it and must get the place running top notch again. I've always been fascinated by drag culture. The creativeness of the names and the costumes. All the cast did wonderfully and they were fun to watch on stage and off of it. Altogether a sad at times but overall fun comedy drama.
Trite, simple, and Fun
blake-blamar22 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This is a sweet show about alternate lifestyles without any of the sharp edges. It is incredibly transparent plot gives it a comfortable familiarity. It reminds me of an after school drama with a message of tolerance and forgiveness and just enough innuendo to keep it interesting.
The cast is to be commended for very good performances. Technically it is also well done. But to me it was just too soft and sweet. It is definitely worth watching once.
The cast is to be commended for very good performances. Technically it is also well done. But to me it was just too soft and sweet. It is definitely worth watching once.
What a shame about the poor musical direction
ptomley4729 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Being an Australian Jackie Weaver she is a Down Under ICON, divorced from a Australian Senator/media headline. But 'born' at the birth of the Australian film revival. Check 'Caddy" she had a small part but broke my heart with her performance
The diversity and breadths of her performances is incredible comedy,drama, or Shakespeare a true actor.
The other 'special' mention is Lucy Lui, a major star in a 'bit' part but I kept thinking 'what an actor, she's stealing the picture. I didn't recognize her, which shows she is a true actor in the traditional form.
No small parts only small actors My BIG letdown is the musical direction/drag performances. The performers weren't bad but the who in the hell directed it. One word BORING!
I have been to tacky drag shows and laughed myself sick with how good/bad they are . I was young naive and kept telling everyone it was excellent miming and choreography/jokes The drag shows had no entertainment value whether tacky or full production.
It ruined it for me I thought it might be a gay 'Sister Act" and I would be weeping at the end.
The other 'special' mention is Lucy Lui, a major star in a 'bit' part but I kept thinking 'what an actor, she's stealing the picture. I didn't recognize her, which shows she is a true actor in the traditional form.
No small parts only small actors My BIG letdown is the musical direction/drag performances. The performers weren't bad but the who in the hell directed it. One word BORING!
I have been to tacky drag shows and laughed myself sick with how good/bad they are . I was young naive and kept telling everyone it was excellent miming and choreography/jokes The drag shows had no entertainment value whether tacky or full production.
It ruined it for me I thought it might be a gay 'Sister Act" and I would be weeping at the end.
A delight!
joel-six22 August 2020
Oh dear......
spenfam-0414520 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I wanted to enjoy this so much, southern, fiesty, unhappily married woman whos son dies. He has a failing drag club which is left to her. Against husbands wishes she travels to San Francisco to his funeral. Due to his lifestyle choice he is estranged from family, especially father who is not happy about mum going there. Anywho basically she turns the club around, finds love and a drag queen family. There are certain good parts Lucy Lu, the 3 main drag queens and Jackie Weaver but it does feel like a vehicle for her and as great an actress as she is she is too old to be the mother and to be perfectly honest I thought her husband was her other son certainly not her husband. It was pleasant and I really was rooting for it but it was like a tick list on how to make a successful film. Very contrived.
Amazing Story - Stellar Performances!
brad-littlefield9 January 2020
Was fortunate enough to attend the world premiere at PSIFF, as well as attend a second screening the following evening. I found myself laughing, singing, clapping and crying along with the entire audience.
Jacki Weaver delivers an out of this world performance, as her character Maybelline evolves from a quiet housewife to an empowered STAGE MOTHER. Along the way, she touches the lives of many while coming to know and love her son for the man he was through the friends who loved him most.
Jacki Weaver delivers an out of this world performance, as her character Maybelline evolves from a quiet housewife to an empowered STAGE MOTHER. Along the way, she touches the lives of many while coming to know and love her son for the man he was through the friends who loved him most.
You must be joking
Davalon-Davalon7 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Despite a star turn from Jacki Weaver and some pretty good laughs from Lucy Liu, this looks, sounds and feels like a "gay indie" movie from the 1970s (and since I was around, I'd know).
Maybelline Metcalf (Weaver), a "Christian" woman from Texas, learns that her gay son Rickey (in San Francisco) has died (apparently from drug abuse). Against the wishes of her ramrod straight husband Jeb (Hugh Thompson), Maybelline heads out to San Fran to make sure her son is laid to rest properly.
We quickly learn that Maybelline hadn't seen Rickey in 10 years because Jeb couldn't handle the fact that Rickey was a big screaming drag queen. But now Maybelline wants to set things right -- and therein lies the problem with this film.
Maybelline quickly meets Rickey's bf Nathan (Adrian Grenier) and Rickey's gal pal Sienna (Lucy Liu). She learns that Nathan is about to lose the club that he and Rickey ran (but Rickey controlled) and that he's going to be on the streets since Rickey also controlled everything to do with their apartment (and since Rickey is briefly introduced as a drugged-out tragic sad queen, how could he have controlled anything -- including putting on mascara without getting it all over his face?).
Maybelline steps in with a quick loan so Nathan can continue to live in his apartment, even though he has very mixed feelings about taking Maybelline's money since he hates her so much for not being "there" for Rickey. Meanwhile, Sienna, who is a single mom raising a child that in no realm of the imagination could possibly be hers, doesn't hesitate to dump her kid off on Maybelline so she can either go sell make-up, party or date some rough trade.
Soon enough, Maybelline swoops in and breathes new life into Nathan and Rickey's club ("Pandora's Box" -- which on one hand is so very, very tired, but on the other, can still summon up a laugh), and apparently the "new life" consists of Maybelline teaching the club's three questionable drag queens how to sing in harmony, something that apparently never crossed their minds.
The transformation of the the club continues (and I guess it's on Maybelline's dime, since Nathan doesn't seem to have any money), and it's decided they will have a big splashy opening. This is ultimately achieved by Maybelline going into a fancy hotel, bumping into the manager, in "meet-cute" style, dumping her flyers advertising the club all over the floor, and the manager and her sharing hot sparks of interest in each other, after which he says he'll be proud to promote the show.
From this point forward, the movie careens wildly from absolutely horrific slow "cabaret" performances of CeCe Peniston's "Finally," to Sienna getting beaten up by a hot trick and Maybelline saving her life by waving a pistol in the trick's face, to Maybelline doing a drug intervention with one of the drag queens, to Maybelline having a date with the hotel manager who "doesn't know" (and doesn't ask/or bother to find out) that she's married, to Maybelline expressing sympathy (as if!) and offering pointless advice to "Cherry" (Mya Taylor), who can't have sex reassignment surgery because his/her wife won't divorce him/her (after 5-6 years of not communicating with each other), to confronting Jeb over his treatment of Rickey, to more insane songs at the club that include endless, endless cutaways to the pianist "Bear," and my favorite moment, Bear and Cherry singing a duet of "Love Will Bring You Back" while Cherry's backside (covered, of course) is positioned toward the audience, while they stare lovingly into each other's eyes -- something the audience can't see, since they are staring at Cherry's behind. Also, the audience (who, once Maybelline becomes the club's doyenne) is constantly fawning and applauding and laughing and cheering, whereas before she showed up ("I'll teach you girls how to harmonize!), the club could barely stay open.
How it is that Jacki, Lucy and Adrien got roped into this "Hey, I got this script I wrote back in the '70s -- let's do it without changing a word or a joke!" -- is beyond my comprehension.
Two thumbs down. Run for the hills. It just isn't worth it.
Maybelline Metcalf (Weaver), a "Christian" woman from Texas, learns that her gay son Rickey (in San Francisco) has died (apparently from drug abuse). Against the wishes of her ramrod straight husband Jeb (Hugh Thompson), Maybelline heads out to San Fran to make sure her son is laid to rest properly.
We quickly learn that Maybelline hadn't seen Rickey in 10 years because Jeb couldn't handle the fact that Rickey was a big screaming drag queen. But now Maybelline wants to set things right -- and therein lies the problem with this film.
Maybelline quickly meets Rickey's bf Nathan (Adrian Grenier) and Rickey's gal pal Sienna (Lucy Liu). She learns that Nathan is about to lose the club that he and Rickey ran (but Rickey controlled) and that he's going to be on the streets since Rickey also controlled everything to do with their apartment (and since Rickey is briefly introduced as a drugged-out tragic sad queen, how could he have controlled anything -- including putting on mascara without getting it all over his face?).
Maybelline steps in with a quick loan so Nathan can continue to live in his apartment, even though he has very mixed feelings about taking Maybelline's money since he hates her so much for not being "there" for Rickey. Meanwhile, Sienna, who is a single mom raising a child that in no realm of the imagination could possibly be hers, doesn't hesitate to dump her kid off on Maybelline so she can either go sell make-up, party or date some rough trade.
Soon enough, Maybelline swoops in and breathes new life into Nathan and Rickey's club ("Pandora's Box" -- which on one hand is so very, very tired, but on the other, can still summon up a laugh), and apparently the "new life" consists of Maybelline teaching the club's three questionable drag queens how to sing in harmony, something that apparently never crossed their minds.
The transformation of the the club continues (and I guess it's on Maybelline's dime, since Nathan doesn't seem to have any money), and it's decided they will have a big splashy opening. This is ultimately achieved by Maybelline going into a fancy hotel, bumping into the manager, in "meet-cute" style, dumping her flyers advertising the club all over the floor, and the manager and her sharing hot sparks of interest in each other, after which he says he'll be proud to promote the show.
From this point forward, the movie careens wildly from absolutely horrific slow "cabaret" performances of CeCe Peniston's "Finally," to Sienna getting beaten up by a hot trick and Maybelline saving her life by waving a pistol in the trick's face, to Maybelline doing a drug intervention with one of the drag queens, to Maybelline having a date with the hotel manager who "doesn't know" (and doesn't ask/or bother to find out) that she's married, to Maybelline expressing sympathy (as if!) and offering pointless advice to "Cherry" (Mya Taylor), who can't have sex reassignment surgery because his/her wife won't divorce him/her (after 5-6 years of not communicating with each other), to confronting Jeb over his treatment of Rickey, to more insane songs at the club that include endless, endless cutaways to the pianist "Bear," and my favorite moment, Bear and Cherry singing a duet of "Love Will Bring You Back" while Cherry's backside (covered, of course) is positioned toward the audience, while they stare lovingly into each other's eyes -- something the audience can't see, since they are staring at Cherry's behind. Also, the audience (who, once Maybelline becomes the club's doyenne) is constantly fawning and applauding and laughing and cheering, whereas before she showed up ("I'll teach you girls how to harmonize!), the club could barely stay open.
How it is that Jacki, Lucy and Adrien got roped into this "Hey, I got this script I wrote back in the '70s -- let's do it without changing a word or a joke!" -- is beyond my comprehension.
Two thumbs down. Run for the hills. It just isn't worth it.
A wonderful film about people and their search for true happiness
andy-P7727 November 2021
I watched this film the other night and can certainly say like the leading lady Jacki Weaver, I felt a little uncomfortable during the funeral scene but as I became drawn into the film it really became something quite beautiful and touching. I love films that explore relationships and in particular what happens when people put their prejudices aside and discover that deep down we are all flesh and blood, we all feel, we all hurt and we all love. This was not only entertaining and funny but also very touching and a highly recommended watch.
Fun!!!
clay-5651523 January 2020
I saw the film at the premiere in Palm Springs and was pleasantly surprised at how delightful the film is. The cast is wonderful, Jacki Weaver is probably at her best in this film and Lucy Liu is always fantastic. I was lucky enough to be at the premiere at the audience gave the film a standing ovation which it deserved. The film has fantastic music and the story is so touching and engaging. I highly recommend.
An unexpected gem
mikeymikeyuk15 December 2020
Really enjoyed this film from start to finish.
Great story line, with an emotional pull.
I can really relate to the relationships I have within my own family unit and those portrayed within this film so it really did touch many emotions for me.
Beautiful movie
petersalmon-3044812 January 2021
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